The ex-girlfriend of rapper Tay-K testified on Monday, April 7, 2025, that he shot and killed photographer Mark Anthony Saldivar during a botched robbery in 2017. The testimony, delivered on the fifth day of Tay-K’s capital murder trial in Bexar County Court, Texas, marks a pivotal moment in the case against the rapper, who is already serving a 55-year sentence for a separate murder conviction.
Joanna Reyes, who was dating Tay-K—legally known as Taymor McIntyre—at the time of the incident, provided a chilling account of the events that unfolded on April 23, 2017. Reyes told the jury she was driving an SUV carrying McIntyre, Jaylen Bell, and other men when they met Saldivar, a 23-year-old San Antonio photographer, for what was supposed to be a low-cost photoshoot. Instead, the encounter turned violent.
According to Reyes, the group stopped at a traffic light on McCullough Avenue when McIntyre pulled out a gun and demanded Saldivar’s bag of camera equipment. When Saldivar refused, McIntyre and the others began assaulting him.
“Taymor pulled out his gun and pointed it at Mark and asked for his bag,”
Reyes testified.
“Mark refused to give him the bag, and they all started hitting him. Taymor was hitting him with the gun.”
Reyes recounted that after Saldivar was pushed out of the vehicle, he jumped onto the hood of the SUV to stop them from leaving with his belongings. Following McIntyre’s orders to “get him off the car,” Saldivar kicked the windshield as she drove. “Tay-K opened the door and shot him,” Reyes said. The group then pulled into a nearby Chick-fil-A parking lot, where Saldivar was later found dead.
In a disturbing detail, Reyes described how McIntyre and Bell rifled through Saldivar’s possessions, finding only $10.
“They were going through [the victim’s] backpack and his wallet. They had got upset because it was only $10, Then Jaylen applauded [Tay-K] and gave him a high-five. They high-fived each other, and Jaylen said, ‘You caught your first body.”
She said.
When asked by the prosecution if the shooter was present in the courtroom, Reyes pointed to McIntyre, identifying him by his white shirt.
Reyes is testifying as part of a plea agreement with the prosecution. She has pleaded guilty to witness tampering and will receive a deferred sentence in exchange for her cooperation. During cross-examination, the defense highlighted that Reyes faces up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine if she violates the terms of her deal, potentially casting doubt on her credibility.
The murder took place on April 23, 2017, and Saldivar’s body was discovered in a Chick-fil-A parking lot in San Antonio. Court documents and Reyes’ testimony indicate that Saldivar had been hired for a photo shoot at a reduced rate before the robbery attempt led to his death.
In 2018, Saldivar’s mother, Lucia “Lucy” Saldivar, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against McIntyre, alleging that he
“intentionally and knowingly and recklessly committed criminal homicide or murder by shooting and killing”
her son after he resisted the robbery. The trial, which began on April 1, 2025, follows years of legal proceedings tied to McIntyre’s growing criminal record.
This is the second murder trial for McIntyre, a 24-year-old Arlington-based rapper already serving a 55-year sentence for the 2016 murder and robbery of Ethan Walker. Authorities allege that the Saldivar killing occurred while McIntyre was a fugitive in the Walker case.
At the time of the 2017 incident, he was 16 years old and initially processed in Bexar County’s juvenile system. Now tried as an adult, McIntyre faces life in prison without parole if convicted.
Reyes’ testimony strengthens the prosecution’s case by offering a direct eyewitness account linking McIntyre to the shooting. In their opening statements on April 1, prosecutors described how an argument escalated into McIntyre allegedly beating Saldivar, stealing his equipment, and firing the fatal shot after Saldivar resisted.
However, the defense is expected to challenge Reyes’ reliability, citing her plea deal as a motive to align her story with the prosecution’s narrative. As the trial continues, both sides will present additional evidence and witnesses, with the jury tasked with determining McIntyre’s fate.
For the family of Mark Anthony Saldivar, this trial—eight years after his death—represents a continued pursuit of justice. The case has drawn significant attention, spotlighting the intersection of a young musician’s career and a series of grave criminal allegations.
The trial resumes in Bexar County Court, with proceedings expected to extend through the week.
[…] Tay-K’s ex-girlfriend, who took the stand late in the trial. Reyes dropped a bombshell, claiming she drove the getaway car and watched Tay-K shoot Saldivar. She described a chilling scene: the group had scoped out the location days earlier, plotting to […]